Steel-casting apparatus



Jam-5 1926. 1,568,854

D. LARNER STEEL CASTING APPARATUS Filed August 5, .1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 L I V flaniel li r m WITNESS: ATTORNEY Jan. 5 ,1926. 1,568,854

D. LARNER STEEL CASTING APPARATUS Filed August 5, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESS:

Daniel flszzm ATTORNEY Jan. 5 1926.

D. LARNER STEEL CASTING APPARATUS '5 sheets-sheet :5

Filed August 5, 1924 -'ml Q? QC);

Daniel Zar 8 o 'Q i o QQ A.

A'ITORNEY Patented Jan. 5, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL LARNER, OF WARREN, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO GEORGE E. FULTON, OF WARREN, OHIO.

STEEL-CASTING APPARATUS.

Application filed August 5, 1924. Serial- No. 730,285.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that I, DANIEL LARNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Warren, in the county of Trumbull and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Steel-Casting Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to steel casting apparatus.

In casting ingots the molten metal is poured from a travelling ladle, singly into a plurality of spaced molds. It is frequently impossible to stop the flow of metal from the ladle while the latter is moved from one mold to another without a resultant waste of material. More important, however is the fact that the metal while being poured is subjected to the injurious elements of the air, which causes the presence in the finished articles of which is commonly known as honey-combs, blow holes and various kinds of air and gas pockets. These defects cannot be detached until after the metal has been put through all of the process at a considerable expense, and the ultimate result is the production of a defective or impaired article at a considerable loss of both money and time. Again, the metal is poured into the molds with considerable speed, and hardens in reasonably quick order, with the result that often times a considerable portion of the article produced in the mold remains relatively soft as compared with the remaining portion of the article when the latter is removed from the mold. This necessitates the cutting off of the soft part of the ingot, which is a matter of consider- 7 able importance when this frequently occurs with a large number of ingots. While the metal is poured more or less rapidly into the molds, the metal notwithstanding is very slow in leaving the ladle, and segregation takes place within the ladle, so that all .of the articles molded are not of uniform quality.

It istherefore the chief characteristic of this invention to provide an apparatus for handling and pouring metal into molds, to eliminate all of the above noted objections and difiiculties experienced in thepresent da method of pouring metal, with a resu tant saving of time, money and labor.

One of the most important objects of the invention resides in the fact that the metal 5 is Poured through a vacuum in the mold,

and is not at any time subjected to the detrimental elfects of the air, so that a non-oxidlzed product is produced, free from honeycombs, blow holes and various sorts of air and gas pockets. A further object of importance resides 1n the use of a spider including a plurality of channels or troughs through which the metal from the ladel is simultaneously conveyed to all of the molds to be filled, thus quickly emptying the ladle before segregat1on takes place therein, with the result that all of the articles produced are of uniform quality.

Other objects and advantages will appear when the following detail description is read in connection with the accompanying drawings the invention residing in the con-' struction, combination and arrangement of parts as claimed.

In the drawings forming part of this appllcat on, like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, and wherein;

Figure 1 is a view in elevation showing the relative arrangement of parts for the pouring of metal through the spider into a group of molds.

Figure 2 is a sectional view through Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the spider.

Referring to the drawings in detail 10 represents the molds of a group which are simultaneously filled with metal from a ladle 11, the latter being of well known construction, and provided with a discharge nozzle 12 projecting from the bottom thereof and passing through a central opening formed in a disk like member 13 which may be secured in any suitable manner to the bottom of the ladle as shown in Figure 2. The metal which flows from the ladle is conveyed to the molds 10 through the instrumentality of the spider above referred to, so that all of the molds of a particular group are filled at one and the same time.

This spider is preferably made in two parts, the upper part being indicated at 14 and consisting of a hollow tubular member which is adapted to repose upon the lower part of the spider, and upon which the ladle 18 adapted to rest as shown in Figure 2.

This tubular member is brick lined as at 15 and supports an asbestos gasket 16, so that when the ladle is brought into a position for use, it rests upon this asbestos gas ket, and thus provides an air tight joint or connection between the plate 13 and the adjacent part 14 of the spider. Consequently the metal passing from the ladle into the spider, and ultimately into the molds 10, is not subjected to the injurious elements of the air with the result above enumerated.

The lower part of this spider includes a receiving chamber or compartment 17 which is also lined with fire brick 18, and leading from this chamber is a plurality of troughs 19. As shown in Figure 3 there is one of these troughs for each mold 10, and while I have shown four of such molds arranged in a group it is to be understood that any number of such molds may be filled at one time as desired and found practical, in which event a greater or less number of troughs will be used accordingly. Each trough is lined with fire brick or the like 20, the lining being made in sections to facilitate the removal of said lining when desired. The lowermost section of the lining for each trough is formed to provide a depending nipple 21 which projects through an opening in the trough and is arranged centrally of the adjacent mold 10. Consequently as the metal passes from the ladle 11, it enters the tubular member 14 of the spider passing therethrough into the receiving chamber 17, from where it passes into 'the various troughs being uniformly distributed, so that all of the troughs are simultaneously filled. This operates to quickly empty the ladle 11 before segregation takes place therein, thus assuring the production of ingots of uniform and highest quality. During this filling operation of the molds, the metal is protected against the detrimental effects of the air so that the finished product will be absolutely free of honey-combs, blow holes and the various kinds of air and gas pockets which are usually found in such products.

To this end it is my purpose to pour the metal into the molds through a vacuum. Consequently each mold is provided with a cover 22, and interposed between the cover and said-mold is an asbestos gasket 23 to provide an air tight joint or connection between said parts. Each trough 19 passes through the cover 22 of the articular mold to be filled thereby. The air in each mold is exhausted in either of two ways, namely by means of a fan 24 which operates within a suitable casing 25 supported upon each cover 22 and which fan may be operated in any suitable manner. On the other hand the cover may support a fine 26 which communi' cates with the adjacent mold, to allow the air to exhaust from the mold'independently of the use of a fan, the fiue being equipped with a damper 27 asshown. Now, in addition to quickly emptying the ladle 11 to prevent segregation as above stated, the metal by being poured through a vacuum fills the mold with less rapidity than with the present day system, so that the article produced possesses a more uniform degree of hardness throughout, and thus eliminates the necessity of cutting off a part of the article so produced on account of a relatively difi'erent degree of hardness with respect to different portions thereof. By use of the invention large quantities of metal can be more quickly and easily handled, and poured into molds in a manner to insure the production of more perfect articles, all possessing a more or less uniform degree of quality.

While it is believed that from the foregoing description, the nature and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent, I desire to have it understood that I do not limit myself to what is herein shown and described, and that such changes may be resorted to when desired as fall within the scope of what is claimed.

What I claim is:

1. I11 a steel casting apparatus, the combination with a ladle and a plurality of molds, of means for conveying molten metal from the ladle to all of the said molds simultaneously protected from the effects of air.

2. In a steel casting apparatus, the combination with a ladle and a plurality of molds, of air proof means for conveying molten metal from the ladle to all of said molds simultaneously, and means for exhausting the air and gas from said molds whereby said metal flows through a vacuum in said molds for the purpose specified.

3. In a steel casting apparatus, the combination with a ladle and a plurality of molds, of an air proof cover for each mold, means for conveying the molten metal from the ladle to said molds simultaneously and protected from the efi'ects of air and gas, and means for exhausting the air from said molds whereby the metal flows to a vacuum in the molds for the purpose specified.

4. In a steel casting apparatus, the combination with a ladle and a plurality of molds, of an air proof cover for each mold, a spider including a receiving chamber into which molten metal from the ladle is deposited, a plurality of trough like members leading from said chamber and to said molds whereby all of the latter are filled simultaneously, and means for exhausting the air and gas from said molds whereby said metal flows through a vacuum in said molds for the purpose specified.

5. In a steel casting apparatus, the combination with a ladle and a plurality of molds, of an air proof covering for each mold, means supported on said covers whereby air may be exhausted from said molds to create a vacuum therein, and air roof means for conveying the molten meta from the ladle to all of said molds whereby the latter are simultaneously filled as and for the purpose specified.

6. In a. steel casting apparatus, the combination with a ladle and a plurality of molds, an air proof covering for each mold, means whereby air may be exhausted from said molds, a spider including a receiving chamber into which the molten metal isdeposited from said ladle, a plurality of trough like men'ibcrs for conveying the metal from the chamber to saidmolds and protecting said metal from the effects of air, and a tubular member rising from said chamber and upon which the ladle is adapted to repose, and through which the molten metal passes to said chamber.

7. In a steel casting apparatus, the combination with a ladle and a plurality of molds, of a spider including a receiving chamber into which the molten metal is deposited from said ladle, a plurality of trough like members tor conveying the metal from said chamber to said molds, whereby the latter are simultaneously filled. means providing an air proof connection between said trough like members and said molds, a tubular member rising from said chamber, and through which the metal from the ladle passes into said chamber, means for providing an air proof connection between the ladle and said tubular member, and means whereby the air may be exhausted from said molds to allow the metal to flow through a vacuum in said molds as and for the purpose specified.

8. Means for delivering molten metal from a ladle to a mold without subjecting the metal to the atmosphere. said means comprising an air tight cover for the mold, a hollow member upon which the ladle is adapted to repose in a manner to seal said member from the atmosphere, and a trough establishing communication between the member and said mold through said airtight cover.

9. Means for delivering molten metal from a ladle to a mold without subjecting the metal to the atmosphere, said means comprising an airtight cover for the mold, a hollow member upon which the ladle is adapted to repose, a gasket interposed'between said parts, a trough establishing communication between the member and said mold through said airtight cover, and means for maintaining a vacuum in the mold for the purpose specified.

10. Means for delivering molten metal from a ladle to a mold Without subjecting the metal to the atmosphere, said means comprising an airtight cover for the mold, a hollow member upon which the ladle is adapted to repose, in .amanner to provide an airtight connection therewith, a receiving chamber arranged directly beneath said member, a trough establishing communication between said chamber and mold through said cover. and means for exhausting air and gas from the mold, whereby said metal flows through a vacuum into the mold for the purpose specified.

11. Means for delivering molten metal from a ladle to a plurality of molds, without subjecting the metal to the atmosphere, said means comprising an airtight cover for each mold, a hollow member upon which the ladle is adapted to repose, a gasket arranged betwcen said parts, a receiving chamber arranged directly beneath said member, troughs establishing communication between said chamber and molds through said covers. and means for maintaining a vacuum in said inolds for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I aflix my-signature.

. DANIE L LARNER. 

